1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to an electromagnetic relay having a coil winding on an axis parallel to a terminal plane, wherein the coil member is mounted on a separately manufactured pedestal in which terminal elements and contact elements are fixed.
In particular, the relay comprises a coil member carrying a winding and having an axis proceeding parallel to the terminal plane of the relay. Support wires for the winding are secured to coil flanges for the coil member, and a core is plugged into the coil member in an axial direction. An angular yoke includes a first leg coupled to an end of the core and a second leg extending parallel to the coil axis adjacent the winding. A flat armature is seated at the free end of the second yoke leg so that the armature forms a working air gap with the free end of the core. A leaf spring is secured to the armature and includes a restoring leg to effect seating of the armature relative to the yoke. The leaf spring includes at least one contact spring leg interacting with at least one cooperating contact element. A terminal element is connected to the leaf spring in electrically conductive fashion. The coil member is arranged on a separately manufactured pedestal in which terminal elements for the coil winding as well as for the contact elements are fixed. The winding support wires are connected at the underside of the coil member to the appertaining terminal elements in the pedestal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A relay is disclosed in German published application No. 34 28 595. The terminal elements of the disclosed relay are formed as flat plugs that are essentially anchored in a pedestal and are subsequently connected to appertaining electrical elements in the coil member. The manufacture of the disclosed coil, however, can only be partially automated since, for example, the leaf spring connected to the armature must be connected to its appertaining terminal element in the pedestal by a stranded conductor. Further, it is also necessary in the relay of the German application as well as in other known relays to direct or change the design of the coil member according to the type of contact elements used. However, different demands are made of contact arrangements for switch relays of this type which are used, for instance, in motor vehicle technology. Thus, for example, either only make-contacts, only break-contacts, switch-over contacts, double-make contacts, or make-contacts having double terminal leads are required in switch relays. Depending on the type of contacts required, however, not only are the contact elements themselves redesigned, but also an appropriate specifically shaped design for the pedestal and coil member must be provided for each type of contact arrangement.